Rodney Meets His Match
by LucyONeil
Summary: Set in Atlantis w/ a few changes: no Teyla, no Keller, Weir stays, etc. But Ford is gone and the team needs to fill his place. John and Ronon think she's great but she's driving Rodney insane...maybe in a good way...
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry but why are we here again?" Dr. Rodney McKay, head of science and research asked as he and his team sat in Dr. Weir's office.

"Interviews, in case you haven't noticed we still haven't replaced Ford." The team leader, Col. John Sheppard, answered.

"I thought we were done, we're fine with three." Ronon Dex said, wiping some of his dreadlocks from his face.

"For once, I agree with the caveman." Rodney said, folding his arms.

John opened the file in front of him, "Easy guys, it might not be so bad."

"And why is that, pray tell?"

"Because Rodney this one's a girl." He smirked.

"Alright." Ronon grinned and spun around in his chair. Rodney just gave a contemplative, "Hm."

John continued to peruse the file while Rodney sipped his 7th cup of coffee and Ronon twiddled with one of the numerous blades he kept hidden on his person. They were all lost in their own thoughts when Dr. Elizabeth Weir, leader of the Atlantis Expedition walked in with another woman.

"Good morning gentlemen," she smiled, "I would like you all to meet Dr. Lucy O'Neil."

John was the first to stand and shake her hand, "Pleasure to meet you Dr. O'Neil. I'm Colonel…"

"John Sheppard," she answered for him, "oh, I'm sorry. And please call me Lucy." John nodded and sat back down.

"And you must be Dr. McKay and Ronon Dex." She continued, shaking their hands. "Your reputations precede you." She explained at their confused stares.

"Is that a bad thing?" Ronon whispered to John as they all sat down.

"Well, I know mine certainly does." Rodney beamed.

"Anyway," Elizabeth shot him a sideways glance, "John, would you like to start?"

He cleared his throat, "You have a very impressive resume, Dr. O'Neil. It says here you completed Stargate basic even though you didn't have to?"

"Yes, sir." She answered nervously.

"You're also proficient…wait, very proficient in the use of P90's, zats, Jaffa staff weapons, and anti-Replicator arms?"

"Yes, sir."

While John kept flipping, Ronon sat forward, "Using all those guns is great but can you fight?"

Her smiled faded at the question, "Well, when he has had the time…Teal'c has trained me in hand to hand combat…if that's what you mean." She was unnerved by his dead stare, "I'm ready to use it if need be." She added, hoping to change his expression.

He just sat back, "You're never ready until it happens."

"Alright, anyway…" John interjected when Rodney cut in.

"More importantly, what is your degree in?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Now she was on surer footing, "Anthropology and archeology from UPENN and…"

He threw up his hands, "Oh great, that's just great what are we supposed to do with that?"

"Rodney, that's enough." Elizabeth threatened through clenched teeth.

"No no, have you ever even been off world?" He ranted.

"Ok, any more questions for Dr. O'Neil?"

"Don't think so," John replied, "Chewy?" He looked at Ronon who simply shook his head.

"But…but…" Rodney stammered as they all stood up.

"Thank you for your time, Colonel." Lucy shook his hand again.

"Good luck."

"Why don't I go introduce you to Dr. Beckett, he's the head of our medical department." Elizabeth explained as they walked out.

"Good idea, they can be fake doctors together!" Rodney called after them.

"Rodney, what is your problem?" John asked.

"What, Ronon was the one giving her the third degree!"

Ronon chuckled, "I like her."

"She's never been off world, I vote no." Rodney huffed.

"I vote yes." John decided, smiling at Ronon, who nodded back in agreement.

Rodney looked at both of them, "Fine, fine. If you need me I'll be in the lab, you know, making real contributions."

"Carson? Do you have a moment?" Elizabeth tapped the doctor in front of them on the shoulder.

"Aye?" He asked, turning.

"Dr. Carson Beckett, I would like you to meet Dr. Lucy O'Neil. She's applying for the open spot on John's team."

"Oh right, nice to meet you Dr. O'Neil." He said, his big blue eyes smiling.

His Scottish accent made her want to laugh but she bit her lip to stop herself, "Likewise, Dr. Beckett. I've heard you're the best surgeon in the w…galaxy, I guess."

"I don't know about that…" He started.

"You're too modest, Carson. But we won't keep you, how about some lunch Lucy?"

"That would be great. Nice meeting you, Dr. Beckett." She waved.

As they walked along to the mess hall, Elizabeth asked, "So what do you think of Atlantis?"

"It's amazing, I just hope I can stay. I realize I don't have the strongest background…"

"Don't worry about that. And I'm sorry about Ronon and Rodney."

"It's ok, I wasn't kidding when I said their reputations preceded them, especially Dr. McKay. Colonel Carter warned me. I just wished he had let me finish about my degrees."

They had reached the mess and Elizabeth handed her a tray, "Trust me, it will be better when he finds out on his own."

They sat out on the deck, enjoying the sunshine and sound of the waves over chicken Caesar salads. Lucy was right about to ask about when the expedition began when John slid into the seat across from her, next to Elizabeth. He smiled at her.

After a moment Elizabeth asked, "May we help you?"

He didn't take his eyes off of Lucy, "Just wanted to congratulate Dr. O'Neil and welcome her to the team." He winked.

"Are…are you serious?" She gasped.

"Yes ma'am. Pack your stuff, the Daedalus should be coming back our way soon and can beam you down."

"Thank you so much, Colonel." Lucy said, still in shock.

"Don't mention it. Sorry I've got to go, someone has to calm Rodney down. See you in a few days." He shook her hand again and turned back inside.

"Congratulations, Lucy." Elizabeth beamed.


	2. Chapter 2

"Got enough stuff?" John groaned, dropping the boxes in his arms onto the floor in Lucy's quarters.

She blushed, "Sorry, they're mostly books." She looked out at the view, Ronon dropping more boxes behind her. It was absolutely breathtaking; the suns were shining making the gentle waves glisten like gold. She also silently triumphed that because she was coming into such a high position, a member of John's team and new head of the anthropology department, they gave her a guest suite because no other rooms were available.

"I think that's it. Need anything else?" John asked, bringing her back to reality.

"I don't think so, thank you so much."

"No problem. Hey, not like it's official or anything but we usually all meet up for dinner around 6."

"Or whenever McKay's stomach decides." Ronon added.

She checked her watch, "I'll be there at 6."

They waved goodbye and the door slid shut behind them. She looked at all of the boxes and decided to flop down onto her bed instead. Putting her hands behind her head she looked up at the ceiling and played back the night before.

Lucy stood in front of the large mirror in the women's locker room at the SGC. She was going out for drinks with Colonel Samantha Carter, original member of SG-1, and was busy getting ready. She had already changed out of her uniform into skinny jeans, heels, and a cute top and was applying grey eye shadow above her brown-green eyes. She then brushed out her long dark hair from the sloppy bun she usually wore to work into a more intricate one that would no doubt require countless bobby pins.

She hadn't seen Sam since lunch in the mess when she walked in.

"Wow, Colonel, you look great!" She smiled.

"We're off the clock now, Lucy, its Sam. But before we go out, General O'Neil wanted to see us."

Lucy sighed, "Really? Did you not tell him we had plans?" She liked General Jack O'Neill very much, but Sam hardly had any free time and they had both been looking forward to tonight for a while. It was also strange because the General never enjoyed dealing with anything relating to staff. But what he hated even more were meetings, paperwork, and any sort of political BS. He still wanted to be going through the gate on missions. She couldn't blame him, he had been the original member of SG-1, and after all he had seen, it was tough to let go of.

"Yes, I did," Sam replied, "but you know how he is."

"I do," she said, finishing applying the last layer of mascara on her lashes, "ok, ready."

As they walked towards his office, Lucy observed, "Wow, did everyone leave early tonight?" The SGC was always abuzz with activity, the halls crammed with staff crossing every which way at every hour of day and night.

Sam bit her lip to suppress a smile when they got to the meeting room that led into his office.

When they walked in, they were met with a raucous, "SURPRISE!"

"Oh my God, what is this?" Lucy gasped.

"Well, I'm not getting a promotion so it must be your going away party!" Sam gave her a hug, "We'll miss you!"

General O'Neill walked up to her with a glass of champagne.

"Peridot," Lucy observed, "I like the color scheme, General."

"It's ah, all we had left." He smirked and they clinked glasses.

"Thank you so much, General. This was very unexpected." She blushed.

"Well, I guess it had to be done. There's only room for one O'Neill, two L's, in this galaxy." He gave her a hug, "You'll do great kid, but don't be a stranger. And if anyone asks, we're not related."

"That's because we're not!" She called back as he walked over to go talk to Walter, leaving her alone in the middle of the room. She looked out the large Plexiglas window at the gate, the gate she had only stepped through for her interview at Atlantis. That was part of the reason why she had applied when the spot came open. That, and she didn't feel like she was making any real contributions.

She had been hired to help the great Dr. Daniel Jackson in his research on the Ancients to hopefully find some way to combat the Ori. While at UPENN she had read anything and everything either about him or written by him, he was so brilliant. While she too had been skeptical about his theories on the Egyptian pyramids being landing sites for aliens, the idea had intrigued her, and she couldn't deny now that he had been right.

But as time wore on, she often found herself alone in his office as he was off world doing battle and making discoveries that she could only dream of. When he was on base he was often distant and distracted. As a result she often felt like a TA trying to impress a professor and gain his approval. He did praise her hard work and those rare smiles he gave were enough for her to develop a school girl crush on him, a crush she found she was confusing for love. But it soon became obvious that his only mistress, after the death of his wife, was his work and there was no changing that.

She scanned the room and her eyes fell on Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, former F-16 pilot and unofficial leader of SG-1. He gave a hearty laugh at something an airman had said, making her give a sad smile. Cam was a country boy with Midwestern values and militaristic determination. And God was he handsome.

So handsome that one night he had caught her at a weak moment, upset at a puzzling Ancient translation that she couldn't figure out and Daniel's obliviousness to her feelings. They had gone out for beer and wings and next thing she knew they were in bed together. Flings weren't new to her, they were a good form of stress release, and after two PhD's and now working for an intergalactic government organization that had to save the world from disaster every other minute, there was more than enough in her life. But as great as Cam was, in all aspects, she couldn't help feeling guilty and used.

But she could let go of all that now. She was here, on Atlantis in a whole other galaxy, and could begin again. The only task at hand now was to earn her spot on the team and get to work. Before she knew it, it was time to meet the team for dinner.

After filling her tray, she found John and Ronon sitting across from each other.

John spotted her first, "How's the unpacking coming?" He asked.

"Ha ha, slow. But Ronon, I came across the staff that Teal'c gave me. Care to spar some time?" She replied, sitting down.

His eyes lit up, "Sure." He grinned.

Teal'c had given it to her at the party, "Lucy O'Neil, it would be a great honor if you would accept this." He held it out to her ceremoniously and bowed.

"Oh my God Teal'c, really?" Her fingers shook as she took it, running her finger tips over the polished wood.

"You have proven yourself a capable warrior."

"Thank you so much!" She cried and squeezed his massive frame as best she could. He raised his eyebrow in surprise, one of his most common facial expressions, and hugged her back.

"You will serve Atlantis well." He bowed, she bowed back.

The rest of the team had gathered behind him by this point. Sam hugged her again and gave her a wrapped present. It was a framed photo of the two them in her lab.

"Now don't let McKay boss you around. He tends to try and do that." She warned.

"I won't." She agreed. Cam stepped up next and presented her with a bouquet of flowers, thrusting them at her like an embarrassed schoolboy.

"They're beautiful Cam, thank you." She murmured, smelling the roses.

He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "For what's it worth, I had a great time with you. You'll do great." He whispered. When he moved off to the side, Daniel came up. Her stomach dropped to the floor while also fluttering with butterflies. He held a book in his hands and he looked down at it. One of the things she found most attractive about him was his love and reverence for books, he treasured them above all else.

"I probably didn't say this enough," he started, "but you've been such a big help, I…we couldn't have been as successful as we have been without you." He placed the book in her hands and curled his fingers around hers for a brief moment, "This is our combined research, mostly yours, on the Ancients. I thought it could be useful in Atlantis."

She felt the electricity course through his touch, "Dr. Jackson…"

"Daniel." He smiled, pulling away.

"Daniel," She said his name for the first time, "this…is amazing!"

"You've earned it." He said and kissed her on the other cheek.

"I've got to see this." John said, snapping her out of her daydreaming.

"Huh?"

"You and Ronon sparring, I have to see that." He repeated.

"Just hope you're better than Sheppard." Ronon chided.

"Hey!" John shot back.

"What, I'd like some competition for once." Ronon shrugged.

She laughed at their exchange, "I think I can do that. Tomorrow night, after we come back."

"You're on." He agreed.

"Where are we going, by the way?" She turned to John who was still scowling at Ronon.

"M7G-677." He answered.

"What do we know about it?"

"Nothing, just that it's in the database and marked as habitable."

"Sooo….where's Dr. McKay?" She asked, watching Ronon with a fistful of mashed potatoes in one hand and a drumstick in the other, wolfing them both down intermittently.

John watched too, shaking his head, "I've told him about forks and knives a hundred times," he muttered, "But McKay, he is…"

"Ate an hour ago." Ronon said after gulping from a pitcher of water.

"Well, isn't he a man of many words." She observed with a raised eyebrow.

"That's our Chewy."


End file.
